MUFC and their legions of mercenary bootboys from the length and breadth of the country were the visitors at Boothferry Park. Never seen owt like it before or since . Stalybridge, Taunton, Carlisle, Mexborough Reds.... a franchise in every town. Back then the plastic phenomenon was unheard of, although bootboys from every tinpot town were coalescing around MUFC as it afforded some kind of vicarious hardman ID. The garb was a tartan scarf, docs, calf length green Oxford bags or white Skinner jeans and of course Docs (suitable for bootiing **** out of people) and a denim jacket. A sort of melange of Slade, Northern Soul and the Bay City Rollers. There must have been somewhere between 10 and 15,000 of these goons in Hull from around 10 in the morning on a murky day like today. Audible chanting from the direction of BP from around midday. Widespread trouble in the hostelries of West Hull and town. About 30 arrests, 59 injured and over 100 ejected, all this in an era of innocent amateurish coppering and pre cctv. A palpable tension around the ground that day . Attendance was 23 287, previous attendance was 7,571 against Fulham and subsequent one was 9,612 against Bristol C. Ground was therefore about half full instead of the usual quarter full, and crowd split was probably 50-50. Mally Lord scored in first half at Bunkers end cue more scrapping, ejections and St Johns stretchers. Waggy sealed it at North Stand five mins from the end cue mass angry exodus with 'It's time for you to run' and the 'You're gonna get your ****in heads kicked in'. Tommy Doc, the generalissimo of Doc's Red Army whinged about City's rough play as his decoy post match comment. City had John appointed John Kaye two months earlier and had Alf Wood up top. It was as good as it got for Kaye, as City were skint and Harold Needler died the following summer. Still in my top 10 City games after all these years.
This vid shows what it was like at Man United's away games that season. MUFC at Hullsborough two weeks later - think they had at least 15000 there in a 30 000 plus crowd. Not many EBRA in the East Bank that day
Playing for school XI Saturday morning, then cycling to me Dad's, a couple of bob to buy sweets from the shop opposite, pick a comic - probably Scorcher and Score at that time, drive to City - without exception the highlight of my week, then dropped off just in time to do me paper round. Still got most programmes from around 72 to 78. All ruined by having the teams altered on the back page in my childish, barely legible scribble!
Still probably the most electric atmosphere football wise i've ever witnessed though the games against Sunderland were always good....somehow seemed to miss seeing any bother outside the ground, possibly as it was a case of spot the city fan.
When SAFC went to MUFC that season, there was 55 00 there and one of the best MOTDs of the season. No idea how many SAFC went to that one, or where they were in the ground.
A really scary day. I came across from near Liverpool on the train as I did for two full seasons. It was early so there weren't many United 'supporters' on the train. We were season pass holders in the south stand seats, Row F so relatively safe. We'd moved there a couple of years before after the Sunderland game had convinced us that Bunkers wasn't safe. We walked back to the station along Anlaby Road and were threatened with stabbing by two of their lot who followed us. The station was awful - even more frightening than the ground. My friend got his train back to Scarborough and I left as quickly as I could to get 15 bus to Hall Road. I had thought of going back on the train that night but I decided that would not be a good idea and spent the night at my parents. United had been to Blackpool about a month before with the same behaviour. I went to Blackpool about the same time and saw no sign of trouble when City won 2-1 there.
Terry Neill didn't depart after a fierce terrace campaign at all. He ****ed off to Tottingham on his own accord. I was at this Man Utd game. As was half of the youth of Orchard Park Estate and North Hull all supporting Man U where as they had been stood on the South Stand terraces behind the goal two or three seasons earlier supporting Hull City.. I was in the North Stand supporting Hull City. Loved it. Hull City 2 Manchester United 0.
Shame YTV or Tyne Tees didn't cover this game. We really did get the ****ty end of the stick back then for Sunday afternoon coverage. Some Leeds drone will have wiped the tape of our win v WHU in the FAC 73. You couldn't make it up. Seem to recall our 4-1 loss at Stoke in 72 being on telly also, don't think that still exists either.
I remember a pic in paper of him looking at his watch as he opened the door of his E type Jag and the HDM caption was 'Hello I must be going' like he couldn't wait to get to get away. Why would Spurs poach a mid table second dive manager who has won nowt and had played for their rivals?
One of the City faithful got chased into a back garden down North Road by a couple of Reds- he grabbed hold of a spade and wacked them round the head - well done that man
Because Spurs were nowt special in those days. We beat them at Boothferry Park in the 70's when they slipped down into the old second division. He cut his managerial teeth with us and broke up a team that was only a player or two away from a promotion challenge. The two were a centre half and a goal keeper. Posted with the benefit of hindsight of course. At the time Neill was still an International centre half and the captain of a top First Division club who went onto the win the league and cup double the season he left. Plus 'track suit managers' was the buzz word of the time and Neill fitted that bill perfectly. Trouble was he joined us with nowt in the coffers to strengthen the team, perhaps Harold Needler thought he had strengthened the team with Neill's signature ? But he certainly did not leave because of any terrace campaign against him.
Ahhh the good old days when I often got chased by ope reds when I lived in the Danes amongst them and they knew I went in Albemarle yc . (Ope reds were considered the enemy) **** off Harry Watson
You were better off not knowing me Mr kempton you would have ended up having the police at your door all the time..
